Collapsible hut



Oct. 21,1958 Y w. M. scoTT 2,856,942

` coLLAPsIBLE HUT Filed nec. 7, 1956 l' 2 sheets-sheet 1A oef; 21;'1958w. M. scan 2,856,942

coLLAPsIBLE HUT Filed Dec. 7, V1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

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' m'lberr M. scarf N .um mw United States Patent 2,855,942CQLLABSIBLEHUT vvii'ben M. scott, Williston, Nmak.

Application December '7, 1-956,-Serial No.. 626,929.

ZClainJS v(CL. 13S-14) The present inventionvgenerallyrelatestoaProtective device inthe form of a tentrlike hut specically-adapted foruse in protecting an `automobile,-but ,which may be employed for variouspurposes,

A-n object of the present invention is-to provide a collapsible hutwhich may he easily assembled and disassembled and generally forms a.complete enclosure for a vehicle with either end vof the hut beingconstructed for v raisingfor providing access-to theinterior from eitherend lof the h-ut, thus facilitatingthe utility thereof.

Yet another object off the present vinvention is to provide acollapsible hut-having -a vskeleton frame supporting a exible canvasmember forming a complete., .enclosure for a vehicle or the like,wherein one end of the hut may be raised for continuamos-,tetheyintericr thereof, and the entire device is constructed in a plemanner, yet of suicient rigidity to withstand 'the Yusual weatherconditions encountered forprotecting-'me vehicle from rain, snow or thelike.

These together with other objects and advantages which will' becomesubsequently rapparent residein the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible hut ofthe presentinvention in fully extended position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of Figure 1 illustratingvarious details of construction thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of Figure l illustratingfurther structural arrangements of the collapsible hut;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating the manner ofattaching the bra-ce rods or framing to the canvas;

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing `along section line 5-5 of Figure 2 illustrating theconstruction for retaining the edges of the tent in position and alsohinging certain of the brace members to the base member;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perpsective View of one of the base membersemployed in the present invention;

Figure 7 is a detailed exploded plan view illustrating the knockdownconstruction of the frame members; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the flexible line for holding the hutin a partially folded condition for access to the interior thereof.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the collapsible hut of the present invention which in generaloutline is semicylindrieal and may be disposed on any relatively smoothground surface and is specifically adapted for receiving 2,856,942vPatented Oct. 2l, 195g v v2 an automobile, thus taking the place of agarage and providing adequate protection for the automobile.

The construction of the collapsible hut 10 includes a pair o-f elongatedchannel-shaped base members 12-which face upwardly and which are securedto the ground surface 14 by a pair of elongated, ground-penetratingmembers-16 extending ythrough the web of the channel-shaped base member12, as illustrated in Figure 2, thus mounting the base members 12 inparallel spaced relation. The opstanding flanges of the channel-shapedbase members 12 are each provided with a plurality of longitudinallyspaced, transverse openings 18. Centrally on the base member 12 isprovided three upstanding, tubular sockets 20, with the cent-raltubularsocket 20 being at the center of the base member 12 and thesocket member20 on each side thereof being inclined outwardly. Thesockets 20 are rigidly secured to the base member 12, as by welding 22or the like.

A -plurality ofl inverted, Ursh-aped bows generally kdesignated bynumeral 24 extend between the base members 12 and support a canvaslmember generally designated by the numeral 26.

Each of the bows -24 includes a pair of spaced parallel leg portions 28,a transverse bight portion 30 and a U.- shapedconnector 32 between `eachleg 28and the bight portionl 3.0, wherein the connector 32 is detachablefrom 2t), thus providing a rigid support for the central portion 4of thetent member 26.

Longitudinally, outwardly of the three central bows 24, which are rigidlwith the sockets 20, is a pair of longitudinally spaced bows having thebottom ends of the leg portions 28 thereof hingedlyV secured .betweenthe flanges of the channel-shaped base members 12 by a transverse pivotpin 34 extending outwardly from the interior `of the base members 12,with the outer ends thereof extending through grommets 36 in the canvasmember 26. A transverse pin 38 is provided in the free end of the pin 34for holding the grommet 36 thereon, thus holding down that portion ofthe canvas 26 alongside of the channel-shaped base members 142. It ispointed out that similar openings are provided through the inner ends ofthe sockets 20, as shown in Figure 6, whereby the lcanvas 26 will besecured at longitudinally spaced points completely along thechannel-shaped base member 12. The outermost of the three pivotal bows24 is secured to the side edges of the canvas 26 by a string lacing 40which is wound around the leg portions 28 and through grommets 42. Theouter edge of the canvas 26 is also secured to the bight portion 30 inthe same manner, with the weight of the outermost bows 24 acting toretain the canvas 26 in a taut condition.

The interior surface of the upper wall of the canvas 26 is provided witha pair of longitudinal ilexible straps 44 having portions 46 thereofforming loops for receiving the bight members 30, thus attaching theupper wall of the canvas member 26 to the bows 24.

Each of the legs 28 is secured to the side walls of the canvas 26 by aloop 48 having one side thereof stitched to the canvas 26 by stitching50 and having free end portions detachably connected together by snapfastener means 52 or any suitable equivalent fastening means whereby theloops 48 may be detachably engaged with the legs 28 for permittingremoval of the legs 28 therefrom for permitting complete disassembly ofthe canvas from the framework formed by the bows 24.

An opening 54 may be provided in each side wall of the canvas 26, withthe closure 56 being provided there- 3, for and held in closed positionby snap fastener elements 58. Also, an entrance opening may be providedcentrally in the canvas side wall by a zipper construction 60 which isgenerally disposed in a U-shaped manner, thus permitting openingofa flapfor entrance into and exit from the interior of'the hut without thenecessity for lifting the end bow 24.

An elongated, exible line 62 is provided with a hook 64 on each endthereof, with one hook 64. being positioned over the bight portion 30 ofthe central bow 24 and the other hook 64 adapted to Yreleasably engagethe bight portion 30 of the outermost bow 24, thus holding the outermostbow in a generally upwardly inclined position approaching a verticalposition, as illustrated in Figure 2, thus permitting entry of a vehicleinto the interior of the hut.

The tent member or canvas member 26 may be of any suitable waterproofmaterial and the U-shaped tubular construction of the bows 24 form asuicient rigidity to withstand various Weather conditions, and theentire device may be readily disassembled or assembled and is adaptedfor assembly in any locality with a minimum of effort.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A collapsible hut comprising a central base assembly, a plurality ofinverted U-shaped framing bows detachably mounted on said base assembly,the outermost of said bows being pivotally secured to said baseassembly, and a exible waterproof covering containing an auxiliary hutentrance therein extending over the periphery of all of said bows andbeing detachably connected thereto and being detachably connected to thebase assembly, said detachable connections including a series ofapertures in said covering, a series of apertures in said base assembly,pin means extending through said covering apertures and said baseapertures and maintained in place by transverse pins through said pinmeans, lacings carried by said end bows and passing through saidapertures in said covering for'maintaining said covering on said bows,exible straps aixed to the covering along the length thereof, saidstraps and said hovering sandwiching said bows therebetween, said baseassembly including a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally elongatedupwardly facing channel-shaped members, means extending through saidchannel-shaped members penetrating the ground and securing thechannel-shaped members in position, a plurality of upstanding socketsrigidly mounted on the central portion of each channel-shaped member,and a central bow detachably supported in a rigid position between thepairs of sockets for stationarily supporting the central portion -of thecovering.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 including an elongated exibleline having two ends, a hook on each of said ends, said line adaptedtocooperate with the bight of said central bow and either of saidpivotally connected bows situated furtherest from said central bow fordrawing said pivotally connected bows to a generally vertical positionwhereby an automobile can gain entrance to the hut from either side ofsaid central bow depending on which pivotal bow has been drawn to thevertical position. f

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MurrayJuly 24, 1956

